“I don’t want to work that hard anymore.”
I spoke with a prospect yesterday referred to me by a friend. Through our phone conversation, I was sensing conflict in what she wanted in her work versus where she was. As she was explaining her situation, she said, “I don’t want to work that hard anymore,” in reference to past corporate jobs. She reflected on them with a bit of distaste and resistance to repeat. She wanted to be self-employed as a professional speaker.
When she made that particular statement about working that hard anymore, it was as if someone turned up the volume from 3 to 10. The volume spiked for me because it was a sentiment I shared. (BTW, that’s RESONANCE) I pay very close attention to what shows up in my experience, as it’s a reflection of my own thinking or beliefs about any given topic. Everything around me is a mirror to my current mental state.
This is true for you, too. For all of us in fact.
What is it about “work” and “job” that we dislike and resist?
Think about a time in your life when you didn’t love your job or reflect back on a job you didn’t enjoy and ended up leaving. What was going on that it wasn’t working for you? Research has shown that people leave their jobs or are unhappy in their jobs because of poor leadership. Basically, their boss sucks.
Is this the reason behind the boom in self-employment? That we want to be our own bosses? We want the freedom to create, grow and serve who and how we want when we want? It’s worth examining.
I became self employed when I was riffed from a corporate job I actually loved. I always fit in well in the corporate environment. I will confess, however, there were a few jobs where I did not have alignment with a boss or owner and I ended up leaving, therefore I can attest to that statistic.
But with self employment comes a host of other challenges, from developing business to staying relevant in the marketplace with an in-demand offering. Every day you have to get up and market what you do, keep the pipeline full and serve existing clients.
My purpose in writing about this is to point out one thing: the statement, ‘I don’t want to work that hard anymore’ is code for ‘I don’t want to do something I don’t want to do or like’ about a job. Here’s the rub: as a solopreneur, you have to take on doing things you don’t want to do. There will always be something about being a solopreneur that you are not super thrilled about. Sure, you can outsource, delegate or eliminate, but at the end of the day, there’s always something that’s just not your cup of tea.
Is there something in what you’re doing today that you no longer want to do? Take a look at your work today. Is it fulfilling you the way you want it to? Are you feeling more like my prospect and echo her frustration? Or are you celebrating and appreciating the work you are doing right now in your business?
This is the main reason I’ve given myself permission to simplify what I’m doing in my business, consolidate everything and just make it easier on me. It’s okay to give yourself a break and just stop doing what you don’t want to do anymore, especially if it isn’t yielding results. So find your sweet spot, do what lights you up and delegate or eliminate the rest. You will be surprised at what opens up for you in enjoyment as well as ease. In fact, it may also help you niche down your business even more which creates demand. Interesting, right?
For you:
Look at the work you’re doing today. What is it about running your solopreneur business that you dislike or feel like it’s “labor?” Are there ways to outsource or eliminate it? Can you look at consolidation like I have? Can you find things you really enjoy in your work and emphasize those? Where are there opportunities for you to just stop doing something that isn’t yielding results that make you happy? Have fun exploring this, because when you give yourself permission to manage your business so it fits your preferences, you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience of the work you do and good things are bound to show up like more great clients, more revenue, more freedom and more creative stimulation.
